Searching For Manufacturers

Realising I needed advice on where to start with manufacturing, I asked a retail contact who put me in touch with a UK shoe-meister, known henceforth as Mike-The-Shoe. Mike-The-Shoe turned out to be not only a dandy creative type but also a very generous font of knowledge. A true artisan, he mis-spent his youth whittling lasts in Italy and studying shoe-making (amongst other things no doubt), and subsequently became one of the biggest suppliers to the UK high street. He pointed me at Micam Rho Fiero Milano, which is surely the most exciting trade fair on the planet. It's the place you go to see all the latest collections for next season, presented by the people who actually make them - shoe factories and suppliers. One plane ride, and a slightly grubby hotel later, I found myself in Milan, wearing out the rubber on my Converse. Buon Giorno. And this was when I realised I'd probably have to learn Italian.
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